Driftwood Mall hosts Christmas tree silent auction for YANA

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — at the Driftwood Mall, at least.

Until Dec. 2, the Driftwood Mall will host its 17th annual Christmas tree silent auction. As always, proceeds from the event will go towards the You Are Not Alone (YANA) Society.

Twenty-seven Christmas trees are displayed in the mall concourse this year, all of which are sponsored by local businesses or members of the community. Each tree is uniquely decorated and many include gifts that go alongside them.

“Driftwood Mall is always happy to continue hosting YANA’s Christmas tree silent auction,” said the mall’s administration in a statement.

An ever-popular choice for bidders is the Comox Valley Airport’s “Gift of Flight” tree, which includes roundtrip airfare for two for anywhere WestJet flies, roundtrip airfare for two for Pacific Coastal Airlines, and other airport perks. The YQQ tree typically auctions for a few thousand dollars.

YANA community relations co-ordinator Ocean Varney says the event typically raises between $8,000 and $9,000 for the non-profit society each year.

“It’s a big fundraiser for us and it’s amazing that [the mall] continues to put it on every year,” she said.

YANA is a non-profit society that provides funding and accommodation to Comox Valley families with children that have to travel for medical purposes.

“It means a lot to our families, a lot of whom are going through challenging medical circumstances,” said Varney. “It’s another example of the love and support of our community and the involvement of the whole community.”